Structural member



D. A. BROWN STRUCTURAL MEMBER A ril 5, 1960 Filed Oct. 19, 1956 /N VE N TOR oZbrzah Qfi www 5r 77W ply/M ATTORNEYS.

| .IIIIIIIIIlIlIlIllllllll lll'llllll'llllll'lllll'lul' l llllllllllllllllulll lllllllllll llll STRUCTURAL MED/ BER Donald A. Brown, West Lake, Ohio, assignor to Donn Products, Inc., West Lake, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 19, 1956, Serial No. 617,090

3 Claims. (Cl. 18934) This invention relates generally to a structural member, and more particularly to a nailable partition stud of novel construction.

The use of partition studs and related structural members fabricated in the form of laterally-open sheet metal channels has been well known in the building construction field. Such prior devices have utilized a unitary pattern of sheet metal particularly folded to form a structural member of generally channel shape, with opposed side edges of the member in closely adjacent relation for elfecting resilient gripping of a cooperating connector element inset ed therebetween. The mechanical strength and rigidity of such prior devices, and most particularly the gripping strength or weight supporting ability, has necessarily been limited by the resilient bias inherently provided by the sheet metal for the particular geometry employed.

it is a primary object of this invention, therefore, to provide a novel and improved form of structural member which is light, rigid, and economical, and which is formed from an integrally unitary pattern of sheet material.

It is another object of this invention to provide a structural member having an elongated hollow beam defining a longitudinal groove, and wherein the groove is longitudinally and discontinuously slotted to form separated connector element gripping sections.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a nailable stud member formed from an integrally unitary pattern of sheet metal, and providing a substantial improvement in nail gripping ability over prior devices.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty which characterize this invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this specification.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a plan layout view of a fiat sheet metal pattern which has been particularly cut and perforated preliminary to folding into the form of a structural member embodying the features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view taken transversely through a completed structural member formed from the pattern of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective view, partly in cross section, showing the cooperative relation between the structural member of Figure 2, a connector element, and a sheet of material to be secured;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 44 on Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 5-5 on Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line 66 on Figure 3.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawing, I have indicated generally by the numeral 119 in Figure 1 an integrally unitary pattern of sheet material, adapted to be formed into a structural member em- 2,931,470 Patented Apr. 5, 1960 bodying the features of the present invention. Preferably, the pattern 10 comprises zinc coated steel sheet, having an appropriate thickness so as to readily enable cutting and folding while at the same time providing substantial mechanical strength and rigidity. It will be understood, of course, that various types of sheet metal, and even other sheet materials having related properties, may be employed in the practice of this invention. The pattern 10 has been particularly cut and perforated preparatory to a sequence of folding steps for providing a completed structural member having the form and cross sectional geometry shown in Figure 2 of the drawing.

The completed member comprises a pair of generally parallel, elongated beams 12 and 14 of hollow form. A central web 16 extends integrally between the spaced beams 12 and 14. Each of the beams 12 and 14 provide a generally triangular cross section with an apex at the web 16 diverging outwardly therefrom. The form and structural details of the beams 12 and 14 are identical, and the beam 12 only will be described with particular ref erence to Figures 1 and 2. A first side edge of the sheet pattern 113 provides a lock flange 18 and a supporting ridge or shoulder 20, which cooperate to provide a rigid closure between the apex of the beam 12 and the adjacent web 16 in a manner to be hereinafter described. A first beam side 22 diverges outwardly from the web 16. Adjacent parallel fold lines 24 and 26 define a beam end flange 28, lying in a plane generally perpendicular to the plane of the web 16. Similar adjacent and parallel fold lines 30 and 32 serve to define another beam end flange spaced from the flange 28 and lying in the same plane. In this way, the end flanges 28 and 34 are disposed laterally outwardly at opposite sides of the plane of the web 16.

A second beam side 36 converges inwardly from the fold line 36 to the beam apex at the web 16. A double reverse bend of generally 53 shape 18' receives the lock flange 13 in nested relation therein. The supporting ridge 2% adjacent the first beam side 22 seats upon a fold edge 20' of the S bend 18'. A further ridge or shoulder 20" is provided intermediate the second beam side 36 and the S bend 18' for seated engagement upon the ridge 20. In this way, an interlocking sandwic assembly of flanges and folds is provided, thereby insuring a rigid and full closure of the hollow beam 12 in locked attachment with the integrally adjacent web 16.

Intermediate the beam end flanges 28 and 34 there is provided a generally V-shaped longitudinal apexed groove defined by inwardly converging side walls 38 and 4t As best seen in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawing, th groove formed by the inwardly extending and converging walls 38 and 4t; is provided with a series of spaced slits or openings 42. In this way, a dis-continuous slot or perforation is formed with intermediate connector strips 44 integrally extending between the walls 38 and 40. The length of the slits 42 is substantially large relative to the longitudinal extent of the connector strips 44, the slits 42 being at least many times the length of the strips 4-4. In this way, substantial lateral expansion of the slits may be effected intermediate adjacent connector strips 44.

The pattern 10 is initially provided with cut lines 46 to permit folding along a fold line 48 of a flap 50, out of the plane of the web 16, as clearly seen in Figures 3 and 6 of the drawing. are provided through the web 16. The flaps 50 are folded back into close adjacency and partial engagement with the web 16 intermediate adjacent bend portions 18' of the spaced beams 12 and 14. The flaps 50 are thereby retained to effect a mechanical reinforcement of the web 16 and the entire structural member. The access In this way, access openings 52,

' and 40, and passes through one of the slits 42.

openings52' facilitate the acceptance and support of con- 7 duits, cables, wiring, and the like.

A connector element 54 is shown in cooperative relation with the structural member in Figures 3 through 6 of the drawing. Theelement 54 may be a standard annular nail or screw, and has been shown in the drawing in the form of a conventional lag screw. It will be apparent that the connector element may be driven or passed through a sheet of material or other member 56 which is to be secured to one of the beams of the structural member of the present invention. As shown in Figure 4, the element 54 is driven inwardly into the groove formed by the beam 12 intermediate the walls 38 The beam end flanges 2S and 34 seat against and efiect a substantial planar support for the material or member 6. The slit 42 is expanded by insertion of the connec tor element 54, its'lateral dimension being substantially smaller than the diameter of the lag screw. Such resilient expansion permits inward passage of the connector element 54 into the interior of the hollow beam 12, as indicated by the expanded opening 42 in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawing. In this way, the connector element 54 willflbe resiliently and tightly gripped by the adjacent walls 38 and 40 of the beam groove, the adjacent connector strips 44 serving to limit expansion of the slit 42' and therebyincrease its available gripping force Because of the narrow longitudinal extent of the connector strips 44 relative to the substantial length of the slits 42, connector elements may be readily inserted at random points substantially throughout the full length of a structural member constructed in accordance with the present invention. It is not necessary to exert care or precaution to avoid engagement with the connector strips 44 for the reasons that they will not be encountered in most instances and that they may be readily broken without substantially obstructing or preventing the insertion of a connector element. In Figure 5, for example, a connector element 58 has been shown inserted into the groove directly at the location of a connector strip 44. if this should accidentally occur during practical use of the structural member, it will be apparent that theconnector and it is my intention to cover by the claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical improvements which may be reasonably included within their scope.

What I claim as new and desire to obtain by Letters Patent of the United States is: r

1. A structural member adapted to receive and fixedly mount a cooperating connector element, comprising an integrally unitary pattern of relatively lightweight sheet metal cut and folded to form a pair of generally parallel elongated hollow beams and a flat interconnecting web therebetween, each of said beams being generally triangular in cross-section with an apex at said web and diverging outwardly therefrom and terminating in an end flange generally perpendicular to the plane of said web, each of said beam end flanges defining an inwardly extending longitudinal apexed groove terminating in a line of convergence, said line of convergence being discontinuously longitudinally slitted to separate the adjacent flange portions except for a plurality of longitudinally spaced integral connector strips, each of said strips being substantially narrow relative to the distance between strips, whereby insertion of a connector element into said groove and through one of said slits in freely extended relation within said beam effects resilient deformation of strip may be readily broken because of its small longitudinal extent relative to the adjacent slits. The next adjacent connector strips at either side of the broken one will, however, provide suflicient restriction of slit expansion to insure substantially tight gripping engagement of the connector element58.

It will be apparent that the novel structural member of the present invention is particularly formed from an integrally unitary pattern of sheet material, and serves to provide hollow beam members each having a longitudinal groove provided with a series of discontinuous slits separated by relatively small connector strips. Such a cone struction achieves a nailable structural member which is light, rigid, and economical, and which achieves a substantially tight and positive gripping engagement of cooperating connector elements.

Changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my structural member without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention,

the adjacent flange portions away from each other for effecting a tight gripping engagement of such element by said beam solely at said line of convergence.

2. The structural member of claim 1 wherein said interconnecting web contains a plurality of spaced openings.

3. A structural member adapted to receive and fixedly mount a cooperating connector element comprising an integrally unitary pattern of relatively lightweight, resiliently deformable sheet metal cut and folded to form a pair of generally parallel elongated hollow beams and a flat interconnecting web therebetween, each of said beams terminating in end flanges generally perpendicular to the plane of said web, said end flanges defining an inwardly extending longitudinal apexed groove terminating in a line of convergence, said line of convergence being discontinuously longitudinally slitted to separate the adjacent flange portions except for a plurality. of longitudinally spaced integral connector strips, each of said strips being substantially narrow relative to the distance between strips, whereby insertion of a connector element into said groove and through one of said slits in freely extended relation within said beam eflects resilient deformation of the adjacent flange portions away from each other for effecting a tight gripping engagement of such element by said beam solely at said line of convergence.

References Qi tedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

